By Kelly Morgan,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – The holidays may be the perfect time to indulge in a special cocktail or two, and some local bars are more than happy to accommodate.

Anthony’s Wine and Martini Bar at Espo’s Trattoria on Main Street, for example, has the Winter Cosmopolitan just for the holiday season.

“That’s the biggest seller here,” said part-owner Teresa Esposito, who showed off an extensive list of specialty drinks. Made with white cranberry juice, raspberry vodka, orange liqueur and lime juice, the cosmo is served in a martini glass with a sugared rim and garnished with a cherry.

Esposito said the menu at the bar changes weekly. Hot, coffee-based drinks like the Espresso Martini have been popular, made with vanilla vodka, Kahlua, Tia Maria and coffee.

At the Black Watch Restaurant & Pub on Court Street in Auburn, holiday drinks are reserved for the weekends or for the holidays themselves. For the Christmas weekend, general manager Jamie Pelletier planned to offer traditional eggnogs and hot cider served with or without alcohol.

He also was going to offer Hot Holiday Kisses, or coffee with white creme de menthe, Celtic Crossing Irish liqueur, and white creme de cacao.

“There’s a lot of nice, festive, holiday creations you can do,” Pelletier said as he thumbed through a stash of drink recipes.

At Fish Bones American Grill in the Bates Mill Complex, bar manager Larry Michaud was serving up Snowman Martinis made with vodka, Goldschlager cinnamon schnapps and Kahlua. The martini is garnished with a candy cane.

“We’ve only been open four weeks, and I’m still in the works now of putting together a martini list,” Michaud said. But hot coffee drinks, martinis and other festive concoctions are readily available.

For those looking for something a little less extravagant, Gritty McDuff’s brew pub on Main Street in Auburn always has seasonal ales. The Christmas Ale should be served through New Year’s Eve, said head brewer Jason Vanherzeele.

“We like extra-special bitter ales here,” he added. “The Christmas Ale’s also an ESB.”

That means it has a slightly higher-than-usual alcohol content, at about 6 percent, and is good and malty.